Today is Day 15, it hardly seems REAL to me that it would be December 15th already. Just ten days until Christmas. Just 14 shopping days before the day. This year vanished way too quickly!
Today, I decided to feature something that I made several years ago, and I had not intended on making it for the tree, but it has since become an ornament for the tree. This is an altered toy sheriff’s badge. I covered it with polymer clay and then I embellished it with more polymer clay accents, glitter, paint and some metal embellishments.
When I created this piece, I did so because I was working on an art ‘zine and the main topic of that issue was my favorite artist of all time, Vincent Van Gogh. His painting, “Starry Night” is my favorite work of art of all time and this altered badge is an interpretation of that work.
In case you’re wondering what an art ‘zine is, it’s a handmade ‘magazine’ – there are many different types of ‘zines out there, but the ones that have always appealed to me and the kind that I focused on were altered art ‘zines. In these ‘zines I would talk about art and also tea (my two obsessions) and I’d include short stories, journaling, “how to” tutorials, and little art sample inclusions (like little bits of ephemera and stuff). They were fun.
Still curious? This book might give you an idea of what I’m talking about.
Let’s get to today’s tea, shall we?
Simply Rooibos
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
This high quality organic rooibos iced tea from South Africa is a great source of antioxidants and trace minerals. Simplicity at its best, rooibos is naturally caffeine free. Also great as a hot tea and takes milk well.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
OK, yeah, I was less than enthusiastic when I saw that today’s tea is pure rooibos. But, I was happy to find that it’s organic rooibos (I am not all that crazy about plain, pure rooibos. But the organic rooibos is pretty good. And yes, there is a difference, I did a side-by-side comparison to them at one point, and there is a distinct difference in flavor between the two.)
But really, there’s not a lot to say about this organic rooibos that I haven’t said about organic rooibos in the past. It’s sweet with honeyed notes and a flavor that is somewhere between warm nutty flavors and woodsy tones.
To brew it, I recommend going slightly lower than most vendors of tea will suggest. Most suggest using boiling water. I don’t. I lower the temperature to 195°F.
Here’s why: A lot of tea drinkers, myself included, often complain about a “sour wood” taste to rooibos. I didn’t call it “sour wood” though, I called it a “funky, weird taste” because I didn’t think of putting the words sour and wood together. Yeah, I got the wood flavor, but it didn’t taste like “sour wood” to me, it tasted funky and weird. So that’s what I called it.
After tasting that funky, weird, sour wood taste (or whatever you want to call it!) more often than I wanted to taste it when drinking something that is supposed to be a pleasure to sip (ie: tea/tisane), I decided to play around with how I brew the stuff. And I lowered the temperature of the water that I steep rooibos in and I found NO funky, weird taste. No sour wood. That’s my secret to avoid that strange flavor.
Simple!
I steeped the rooibos for 10 minutes and it’s a very enjoyable cup. Nutty, a little woody (but more like a nutty flavor than a woodsy one) with notes of honey-like sweetness. Hints of a toasty, smoky note in the distance. Quite pleasant, really. Simple, organic, pleasant and naturally caffeine free. A nice tea to sip later in the evening when you’d rather not overstimulate yourself with caffeine.
Organic Oolong Tea from Buddha Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Buddha Teas
Tea Description:
Over the years, many different varieties of oolong tea have been produced, each with their own style and flavor, however traditional oolong tea remains the most popular among these.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I had my doubts about this tea before I sat down and started writing about it. I mean, it’s an Oolong in a bag. I think I’ve mentioned how I feel about that at least once on this blog. But, I decided that I’d go into this experience with an open mind.
The box says that this is
A pleasantly aromatic brew known as the “Four Seasons” tea.
Based on my impressions of the first cup of tea – which surprisingly disappeared before I had a chance to type out what I thought of it! Yeah … it’s pretty tasty! – but even though it WAS pretty tasty, it didn’t taste to me like a “Four Seasons” Oolong. At least, it wasn’t like any Four Seasons that I’ve had in the past. Those teas were always a ‘greener’ type of Oolong, with stronger floral and vegetal notes.
This reminded me more of a Formosa Oolong. It was slightly toasty and warm, with more fruity notes than floral. I didn’t notice a vegetal tone. This was earthy and nutty. So I thought, huh? Maybe I did something wrong.
So, the next day, I decided to start again. I grabbed a new teabag, and this time, I decided to do something that I usually do with loose leaf Oolong teas but not something I usually do with any teabags: I “rinsed” the leaves. I did a quick rinse of the teabag – 15 seconds – and then I steeped the bag for 3 minutes.
Again, I’m getting that warm, toasty, nutty flavor that I’d find from a Formosa Oolong. Or perhaps a Da Hong Pao with it’s roasty-toasty nuts and background notes of smoke. But I’m certainly not tasting the flavors that I usually associate with a four seasons Oolong.
But that’s not to say that this isn’t a really enjoyable Oolong. This is really tasty! I love the roasty, toasty, nutty flavor profiles. The nut notes evoke thoughts of chestnuts roasting on an open fire. And this is the best time of year for such a treat.
It’s sweet and it has a thick, satisfying mouthfeel. It’s a very enjoyable tea. And since it is an Oolong, I decided that this time, I’d resteep the bag and see how it resteeps.
My second steep of this bag (I added another minute onto the steep time) is just as flavorful as the first. It has a similar profile: I still taste toasty, nutty flavors with hints of smoke, although the smoke has muted somewhat. I’m now also starting to pick up on some fruity tones. I taste hints of sweet peach! I like the way this flavor melds with the warm, nutty flavors.
This is a really nice Oolong – and yes, it’s a bagged Oolong!
Chocolate Toffee Black Tea from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Zoomdweebies
Tea Description:
Here’s our premium black teas blended with cacao nibs, marigold petals and organic chocolate and toffee flavors. This is a rich, decadent treat.
Learn more about this blend here.
Learn more about 52Teas’ subscriptions here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh yum! Yum, yum, yum!
Well, I had no doubt whatsoever that I’d enjoy this blend. Chocolate and Toffee in a tea? Oh, yes, please! And I’m happy to say that the chocoholic in me is even satisfied with the level of chocolate-y-ness in this blend. Oh, sure, more chocolate WOULD be better but I’m quite happy with what I’m tasting.
I brewed this in my Breville One-Touch, measuring 2 bamboo scoops into the basket and adding 500ml of water to the jug. Then I set the temperature for 205°F and the time for 2 1/2 minutes. This produced a very delicious cup – well, actually, I fill my favorite mug twice with the 500ml of brewed tea – and bonus! The Breville keeps the tea warm for me. No tea cozy needed.
The black tea base is prominent and that just may be why I find this tea so enjoyable. I like it when I taste the tea base of a blend (especially when it’s actually TEA and not rooibos or honeybush.) The black tea here is a solid, full-flavored tea. It tastes rich and there is a hint of malt to it and this complements the toffee notes. This is a bold enough tea that this would make a really nice first cup of the day. (A little treat for breakfast?) There is some astringency to this, but I’m not finding it to be a strong astringency. It falls somewhere between very mild and moderate.
The chocolate notes are really nice here. As I said, I’d love to have more chocolate, but I find that the level of chocolate to be good here. I think that’s because there is a really good proportion of flavors. The black tea is the most prominent flavor, with the chocolate and toffee notes standing at about equal levels – maybe just a little more chocolate than toffee.
The toffee is sweet and buttery. The combination of the chocolate and the toffee here is incredibly decadent. This may just be one of Frank’s best “confectionery” type of teas yet. This is really yum. It reminds me a lot of a gourmet chocolate toffee candy like these from Valerie Confections, all that’s missing is that crunch. And these might even be a little bit BETTER because there’s also tea. And tea always makes things better.
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 12 from Teanzo 1856
It’s day 12! We’re half way through this Advent Calendar! Wow!
How goes the holiday rush? Have you finished your holiday shopping? We haven’t. Then again, we have been a little under the weather! Both hubby and I came down with a horrible cold. I’m glad that neither of our daughters caught it. Hubby had to take a few sick days, neither of us were feeling well enough to get up and go anywhere – much less face the crowds of a store filled with frenzied Christmas shoppers!
For today’s artistic inspiration, I’m going to show another piece that I created a few years ago. This is my holiday wreath. It was very easy to make. It almost feels a little “wrong” for me to say that I made it when I think that most of the work came from an artist who calls herself “Confections” on Etsy. She made this gorgeous “ragamuffin” style “yarn” that I used to wrap around a foam wreath shape that I bought from my local craft store. I’d wrap and wrap and then, every once in a while, I’d tie it off to enhance that ragamuffin look. Then I attached some glitter adorned holly leaves and big red buttons for holly berries, and added a big red bow to finish it off.
It was a fun project and really simple. I managed to finish it in a few hours and it’s a wreath that I proudly hang up every year. The colors in the ragamuffin yarn are so beautiful and were exactly what I was looking for for this type of project. I love it!
Speaking of love, today Teanzo sent me a tea I adore!
Organic Bergamot Earl Grey
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
Our highly aromatic version of this legendary American favorite Earl Grey tea is blended using organic tea giving this Bergamot Earl Grey Tea its depth of flavor. Bergamot Earl Grey tea is also delicious served over ice.
Taster’s Review:
I was greeted with a bright, beautiful fragrance when I tore open the sampler pouch today! That amazing aroma of bergamot! It’s a little sweet, citrusy and there are notes of flower in the fragrance.
To brew this, I grabbed my Kati Tumbler (boy, my Kati is getting a work out with this advent calendar!) and poured the contents of the packet into the basket. Then I heated 12 ounces of water to boiling and let the tea steep for 3 minutes.
This is a good Earl Grey. I like that it’s an organic selection!
The flavor is bright and tangy. The bergamot flavor is strong but doesn’t overwhelm the black tea base which is bold. There are notes of malt and notes of caramel that mingle nicely with the energetic flavor of the Italian fruit.
I taste hints of flower in the distance, but don’t mistake this as my saying it tastes “perfume-y” because this doesn’t taste like that at all! It’s a strong, forward flavor but it hasn’t been overdone. A good quality bergamot oil was used to craft this blend because it doesn’t come off as soapy. It just tastes like a really smartly blended Earl Grey tea!
This is an Earl Grey tea I’d be happy to drink any day! I’m so glad that Teanzo included this in their advent calendar!
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 11 from Teanzo 1856
It’s Day 11 in this Holiday Countdown! After this, my 11th tea in the Advent Calendar from Teanzo, I only have 13 teas left. Which means that there will only be 13 days left to shop, and 14 days until that magical day!
For today’s artistic inspiration, I chose this adorable little tree ornament created by Carol Westphal. Isn’t it cute?
The ornament is crafted on heavy card stock to give it some weight, and the papers have been layered to give it some dimension. There are cute little sparkly accents that were added to draw the eye to the ornament, including a ‘frame’ of silvery Krylon paint pen. It may seem like a rather “simple” piece but it’s one that always seems to catch my eye when it’s hanging on the tree. The bright white color is a pleasing contrast to the other colorful ornaments. Sometimes the simple things carry the most impact.
Organic Chamomile
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
The Ancient Egyptians dedicated Chamomile to their Sun God and valued it above all other herbs. Chamomile tea has a fragrance reminiscent of an apple blossom, and is calming after a long day. Sip Chamomile tea it by itself or for added pleasure mix with a squeeze of honey or lemon.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Just as today’s ornament might be called “simple” – today’s tea is one of the simple “staples” that just about any tea drinker usually has on hand. But just because Chamomile is one of those “staples” doesn’t mean that just any Chamomile tea will do! It’s smart to find a good quality Chamomile, like this one from Teanzo!
I liked that when I opened the sample pouch and emptied it into the basket of my Kati Tumbler, I could see big, whole chamomile blossoms, not a bunch of crushed flower dust. Sure, there were some smaller bits in there too – that’s normal because some damage does incur in packaging and such. But, about 95% of the contents of the pouch was whole ORGANIC flowers. When it comes to chamomile – this is the good stuff!
The dry aroma was a combination of flower and honey, with light, fruit-like notes. It’s quite a pleasant aroma. Having never really been a big fan of chamomile in the past, I haven’t spent a lot of time smelling chamomile. But I actually quite enjoy the fragrance.
To brew this, I steeped these blossoms in 195°F water for 8 minutes. I usually let chamomile steep for a full 10 minutes, but I decided I’d try it at 8 and see how it tastes. And it’s quite pleasant!
The flavor is sweet, with notes of honey and pollen. I also taste notes of sweet apple. As I taste this, I find myself thinking it might be quite tasty with a bit of cinnamon (apple and cinnamon work quite nicely together). Hints of flower. It always kind of surprises me that chamomile has less floral taste than other flowers. It’s still a flower … I guess I always expect more of a floral note from it.
Over the past few days, I’ve been battling a cold. I was fortunate to have quite a few reviews “on queue” waiting for their scheduled publication because I’ve not been writing many reviews over the last few days because of this cold. My taste buds were not quite up to snuff and I didn’t want to attempt to write a review with an impaired palate. This is actually the first review that I’ve written since that time – and I feel like my taste buds are back in working order.
I shared that bit of information with you because while many of my symptoms have diminished, I still have a bit of a scratchy throat from coughing. This chamomile is quite soothing on the itchy throat! I have never really tried chamomile as a soother of a throat, I’ve usually turned to teas with ginger or lemon (or a combination of both) and sweetened them with honey to calm the throat, but chamomile is quite a lovely, comforting tea too!
Above I mused about combining chamomile with some cinnamon, I suspect a bit of ginger would be quite nice too – perhaps some candied ginger!
Really, it’s a nice cup of chamomile. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s certainly nice to sip on as my taste buds have just recovered from my cold and my throat still needs comforting. I like the quality of this chamomile: I like that these are whole blossoms and they’re organic – this is top notch.